Per Mertesacker: Arsenal defender retires from international football with Germany

Centre-back had won 104 caps

Per Mertesacker pictured during the recent World Cup in Brazil (GETTY IMAGES)

Germany's Per Mertesacker, an integral member of the World Cup-winning squad in Brazil last month, has announced his international retirement.

The 29-year-old Arsenal centre-back, who won 104 caps, told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper that he wanted to determine when his international career finished.

"First and foremost it was about me, after a 10-year career in the team, being able to say when the chapter ended," Mertesacker said.

More to follow...